Photographic-printing frame.



C. WHBTHAM.

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING- FRAME. APPLIUATIox FILED 1320.4, 1902.

NO MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l,

Ill l l W/ TNE SSE S /N VEN T05 Wmmfw www.; wiwi/zam v y f omvfy PATENTED MAR. 8, 1904.

No. 754,266. PATENT'BD MAR. a, 1904.

' C. WHETHAM.

PHDTOGRAPHIU PRINTING FRAME.

APPLICATION .FILED DEO. 4. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented March 8, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT QEEICE.

CHARLES WHETHAM, OF RUSKlN, CANADA.

PHoToGRAPHio-PRINTING FRAME.

S?ECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,266, dated March 8, 1904.v

Application led December 4, 1902. Serial No. 133,860. tNo mcclel.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern: Y

Be it known that l, CHAnLEs "VHETHAM, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Ruskin, in the Provincie of British Columbia, Canada, have invented a new and useful Photographic-Printing Frame, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in photographic vignetting and printing frames; and my object has been to simplify the process of vignetting or masking photographs and to facilitate and improve the present method of adjusting the negativeplate or film, whether cut or roll, in relation to thepositire medium.

.As will be seen later, this invention is an amplification of the principle involved-in my` PatentNo. 688,2'Z4of December 3, 1901, on the same subject-viz., photoprinting-frames.

The improved frame consists. essentially, of three main parts-first, the front or face part to hold a mask or mat for vignet-ting or outlining pictures, also to hold the plain glass nsed with film negatives; second, a middle section to hold the negative plate or lilm, and, third, a nach portion to receive the positive paper, ilm, or plate and the back closing or pressing member of the frame.

The following specification fullyv describes the construction and ohjects of my frame, reference being made to the drawings which accompanyv it, in which-- Figure l is perspective View of the frame as it may beconstructed forthc printing and vignetting of photographs from negatives on glass or cut iilms. The View is shown face up. Fig. 2 is across-section of the same .face down; Fig. 3, a cross-section of an alternate method of connecting the negative-bearing member to either the back or front member of the frame; Fig. fi, a perspective View of one Aside of such negative-bearing member detached. Fig, 5 shows in cross-section the negative-bearing member adapted to the requirement-s of roll-lilms. Fig. 6 is a plan and part Section, on the plane of a av in Fig. 5o'f the hlm-spool holder and part of attaching framework; Fig. 7, a perspective View of theiilm-carrier-siipport frame detached; Fig. 8, a detail of the attachment of the Elm-guide roller to the carrier-support frame; and Fie' 9 is an alternative method of constructing the lilm-carrier-'support frame and of attaching it to the printing-frame.

Throughout the drawings, 2 represents the front portions,designcr.l to hold in its opening 3 a mat, mask, or plain glass 4, and to this portion 2 the bach portion 5 is hinged or otherwise attached, so that when togethera space or slot is left between them adapted to receive a negative-bearing member l0. The opening in the hack portion, through which the positive sheet 1l may he `introduced and which is closable with the backing member 7, corresponds with that of the front, so that a mask or plate laid in the front is directly opposito to the positive paper or plate in the bacir.

it is obvious (sec l) that the front and hack portions 2 and 5 may be in one, with the slot or space between them in the plane of the face; but i prefer to hinge them in the manner shown in the drawings as oiering greater facilitf,v both in construction and manipulation.

lit/*here the frame is required for negatives on glass or for cut iilms, (see Figs: l, 2, 3, and 4,) the intermediate or negative-carrying portion l0 is an open frame recessed to receive the negative and secured to either the front member the haci; one in such a manner as to be sueceptil'ilc of limited slidable movement in the piane ot 'the pr' ing-surface. This .i L y be done in any fsiiital'ile manner. Figs. and show it connected by the friction-plate fastening patented by me and re- `erred to in the preamble of this speciiication, or it maj,Y be removably secured to either il or 5 by bent-over edges lof", adapted to engage the thickness of the member to which it is desired to connect it. Fig. 3 illustrates this construction connectiiig the negative-holder to the bach member o, the width between the turned-up sides 10 being as much greater than that of thc portion to which it is fitted will `permit the desiredlamount of morement in an y direction in the plane of the printing-surface, thus enabling the picture on the negative to be adjusted as required to the light of the mash or the surface of the positive sheet 1i. A clamping nieans'may be provided,if found l film itself carries the negative it is obviously unnecessary to provide other support between the front and back portions of the frame. All that is required vthen is a support that will carry the film-spools on the side membersof either 2 or 5 and provide a means whereby the film may be unrolled from one spool and rolled on the other. The spool-carriers may be rigidly attached to the side members of 2 or 5; but with such a construction the adjustment of the negative would only be in either direction endwise of the film with no lateral or angular adjustment. I therefore adopt the construction illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, supporting the spools on a carrying-frame 10, having, as before, the bent-over edges 10 to engage and grip the thickness of the portion it is attached to, but with this difference, that as the negative requires no support within the frame other than its own film I place the bent-over edges 10 in the negative slot or space between the members 2 and 5, recessing them iiush with they inner surface, and4 carry the cross members of the frame 10 from side to side on the outer surface of the member to which itis attached and clear of the printingaperture. I have in the drawings shown this construction connected to the front member 2, as this is my preferred method.

In Fig. 9 I show an alternative method of constructing the film-carrying frame in which the turned-up edges 10EL are dispensed with, the side edges being carried out to form the spool-guards 22 and receive the ends 2() 21, in

- which latter are secured the ends of the rollers 25. The frame 10 is then secured to face of 2 by a screw and washer in a curved slot or opening 10b toward 'each side, thus permitting of lateral and angular adjustment, whilethe endwise adjustment is obtained by rolling and unrollng the film on the spools.

In Figs. 5 and 6 the film is represented by f and the spool by s. To secure and rotate the film-spools, I provide a fixed pin 12, on which the spool is free to rotate, fastened in an end-support member 20, and at the opposite end of the spool is supported by an endwise outwardly slidable pin 13, having driving wings or feathers 14, a washer or collar 15, and a controlling-spring 16, acting in compression between the washer 15 and the endsupport member 21, in which the pin 13 is rotatable and endwise slidable. To the end of this pin on the outer side of the support 21 is a milled head 17, by whichthe film-spool may be .rotated 'and the film rolled or unrolled.

Between the spool-supporting members 20 tion of the spools so that the winding side is below the plate and provide a light roller 25 at the corner of 10 and extending the full Width of the film. This insures a free delivery over the corner without possibility of scratching the film-surface, and as the negative-surface is uppermost it is not exposed to injury while being rolled from side to side.

The upper corner of' 1()El is cutout to allow the roller to be sunk almost fiush, and the rollers may be supported on small .turneddown portions from the gap, as illustrated in the detail Fig. 7.

To operate the frame, the back portion is opened on its hinges. Then if it is desired to vignette or shade the margins of the picture the vignetting mat or medium is placed in the recess of the front portion 2 of the frame. A plain or film-supporting glass is then placed in the samerecess or portion 2 if the negative is incorporated in a roll-film. If, however, A

the neag'tive is on glass,it is placed in the recess provided in the intermediate portion 10 of the frame, and if the negative is a cut film a plain or film-supporting glass is placed in the recess of 10 and the cut film placed upon it. Then the negative is adjusted in relation to the opening in the vignetting-mator to the opening in portion 5, in which the positive sheet is placed. After this adjustment the back portion 5 of theframe is closed and fastened by' a spring or hook or other convenient fastener and the positive sheet is placed in the opening of 5. Then the frame-back 7 is clamped in position and the exposure made. If it is desired to sharply outline the picture, a mat or mask of the desired form may be placed between the negative-and the positive sheet, as is usually done..

In my previous patent theobject was to secure an adjustment of'the negative to any desired position on the positive sheet. The object in this one is to provide in addition a mask or mat carrying portion of the frame to facilitate and simplify the vignetting processwhile at the same time the negative-adjusting mechanism is modified to suit the requirements of roll-film. The essential principle of adjustment, however, is the same whether the negative is on glass or cut film or film-roll. The annoyance arising from curling or shifting of the thin roll-films when cut into sections and printed from separately is entirely overcome by retaining the roll form and passing the web of film across the frame',l as shown in Fig. 5.

IOO

IOS

IIO

My divided frame lends itself admirably to this the requisite adjustment of the negative. Film'- rolls are now usually developed'without cutting. The convenience of printing also from the uncut rol'l `and of filling and preserving the films in roll forni'on the original spools is rendered possible by this simple'adaptation of my frame.

My intention is to provide vignetting mats or masks with transparent orpartially-transparent centers of various shapes and 'sizes which will be lgradually shaded or rendered non-actinic toward'the outer margins, so thattion having an opening for admitting and removing the positive sheet, and a cover for said opening' adapted to hold said positive sheet iginst said negative, for the purposes speci- 2. A photographic-printing frame, comprising a front section,having a groove in one face, a light admitting and controlling medium mounted in said groove with its inner face flushed with the adjacent face of said front portion, a negative-carrying device ad justably secured to one of said portions, said negativecarrying dev-ice including a film-spool carrier and a negative-carrying frame, said negativecarrying frame including friction-rollers adjacent said film-spool carriers, film-carrying spools mounted in' said film-spool carriers, a

,film mounted on said spools and passing over said friction-rollers and said negative-carrying frame and in close proximity to said light admitting andcontrolling medium, a back section hinged to said front section and adapted to close over a portion of said film and said light admitting and controlling medium, said back portion having an opening for the introduction of the positive sheet, and a closure member for said opening, said closure member being adapted to hold s aid negative Vin' tight engagement withsaid light controlling ailngadmittingmedium, for the purposes speci- 3. In av photographic-printing frame consisting of two Sections hinged together, one of said sections adapted to hold the light admitting and controlling medium, and the other section having an opening through which the positive medium is introduced, and a removable cover for said opening, the other of said sections having a slot 'or opening across one face thereofl in a plane parallel to the printingsurface, and a slidable frame within said slot adapted to hold a negative in close proximity y to the klight admitting and controlling medium, said slidable frame being susceptible to adjustment in any direction in a plane parallel with the printing-surface, and said cover for said opening in said iirst-mentioned section being adapted to hold said positive medium in contact with said negative and to hold said slidable frame in engagement with said light admitting and controlling'. medium whereby when the said cover is in place all of theparts l will beheld immovable, for the purposes specified.

4. A photographic-'printing frame comprising a front portion adapted to hold the light admitting and controlling medium, a back portion hinged to said front portion and adapted to hold the positive sheet or plate in such a manner that a space is left between the front and back portions and the negative-bearing frame mounted'in such space and slidably connected to one of said portions in such a manner as to be susceptible of adjustment in any direction in a plane parallel to the printingsurface, said iront portion adapted to hold said light admitting and controlling medium in close proximity to said negative and in engagement with said negative-bearing frame, and said back portion adapted to hold said light admitting and controlling medium and said negative-bearing frame in their proper correlative positions, for the purposes specified.'

5. In a photographic-printing frame having the front and back portions divided in a plane parallel to that of the printing-surface and having a space between themadapted to hold cessed to hold a negative and having turnedover edges on opposite sides to engage the thickness of one of said portions, the width between such turned-over edges being such as will allow a limited slidable movement in any direction in the plane of the printing-surface.

6. In a photographic-printing frame, consisting of two sections hinged together, slots or openings inthe opposite sides or end members in a plane parallel to the printing-surface, film-spool carriers opposite each slot, and means for rotating such spools whereby the film may be wound on one and unwound on? the other traversing the film across the printing-.surface of the frame.

7 In a photographic-printing frame consisting of a front portion carrying a light admitting and controlling medium and adapted for the support of film-negatives hinged to a baclr portion into which a positive sheet may be -introduced and held,'such connection between the portions being made as to leave a space across the printing-surface adapted to the passage of a negative-film, a film-negative- IOO a negative-bearing frame, an open frame re- IIO carrying frame slidably connected to one portion' in such a manner as to be susceptible of adjustment of the negative in any direction in the plane parallel to the printing-surface, and film-spool carriers secured to such frame adapted to removably hold and permit the rotation of the spools. m 8. In aphotographic-printingframe having a front or mask-carrying portion hinged or otherwise connected to a back or positive holding portion in such a manner as to leave a space between adapted to permit the passage of a negative-film across the printing-surface;

'a negative-carrier comprising an open frame 10 attached to one of said portions of the printing-frame in such a manner as to permit slidable adjustment in any direction in the plane of the printing-surface; spool holding and rosunk iiush in the corn `r of the turned-over 9. A photographie-printing frame, consisting of a front and a back portion hinged together, said front portion adapted to carry a light admitting and controlling medium, said back portion having a groove, and an opening therethrough, of a negative-carrying device adjustably mounted in said groove and having a portion for receiving a negative, said negative and said light admitting and controlling medium adapted to lie in close proximity to each other, and said front and back portions being so arranged as to ad mit of inserting the negative into the negative-carryi-ng member Without removing 'the saine from the said groove, all being arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribngwitnesses.

CHARLES WHETHAM.

Witnesses:

ROWLAND BRITTAIN, RICHARD B. WARD. 

